Island



(No Model.)

G. W. PRENTICE.

. BUTTON PASTENBR. l y No. 379,028. Patented Marr. 6, 1888.

FIE l.

INVENTEIFK.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

GEORGE PRENTIOE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BUTTON-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,028, dated March 6, 1888.

Application tiled September 29, 1887. Serial No. 251,028. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

'being' common and well known.

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PRENTICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to buttonfasteners, more particularly of the two-prong or staple class; and it consists of a metallic fastener having the wire or stock forming the portion lying above the fabric or material (when secured. thereto) of the normal size, and having the pron gs thereof concavo-convex in cross-section.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, each wire or blank forming a fastener has been substantially uniform in cross-section throughout its length, thereby, when angular stock is employed, producing sharp edges which are more or less irritating to the wearer when such fasteners are used for securing buttons to shoes.

'Ihe foregoing disadvantage I seek to overcome by swaging or otherwise flattening the prong portion of the fastener into a eoncavoconvex form, the convex side of the prong obviously being next the wearer in use.

Another advantage resulting from my improvement is that the prongs penetrate the fabric or leather 'more easily and are more readily clinched thereunder than is possible in fasteners where the prongs and exposed portions are alike in cross-section.

In the drawings illustrating my improvements, Figure l represents in perspective a series of staple or two-prong fasteners, the upper or head portion thereof, including the form of the wire from which the fasteners are made, The lower or prong portion of each fastener, however, is made thinner and swaged into a concavovconvex form in cross-section, as indicated by the section c, taken on lines x m. The broken line o o indicates the line of upper surface of the material or fabric to which the fasteners may be secured. Fig. 2 represents enlarged crosssectional'views of wire or stockwhich may be used for the staples. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a piece of wire adapted t0 be bent to form a two-prong fastener, the two end portions being flattened and the central or intermediate portion remaining normal. Fig. Li is a crosssectional view of the wire taken on line o o. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on line x x, showing the wire swaged into a concavo-convex form; and Figs. 6 and 7 represent views of a fastener formed from the wire shown in Fig. 3 and secured to'a fabric, a button being retained in the head of the staple. n

As hereinbefore stated, the wire b in crosssection may be of any desirable or practicable form, as usual.

In the making of a fastener, a, a length of wire is first cutoff. The two end portions are then submitted to a suitable press or swagingmachine, which gives to that portion of the wire the concavo-convex form c shown in the several figures. This latter operation necessarily expands the wire in a lateral direction, so that the swaged part considerably exceeds that of the plain portion. Practically I prefer that the swaged portion shall extend the length of the prongs, as shown in Fig. 1. To facilitate the entrance of the prongs into the fabric, they may be pointed or sharpened, as indicated at m by the full lines, Fig. 3.

The manner of attaching buttons to fabric-s by means of staple-fasteners is well known. An implement for mechanically attaching them consists of a pivoted jaw member adapted to retain the button and fastener in position, while another jaw provided with suitable clinching-dies is actuated to force the fiattened prongs through the fabric and clinch them thereunder, the rounded or convex surface being exterior andthe concave surface in contact with the fabric, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The button fastener staple herein described having its upper or head portion substantially uniform in cross-section, and hav ing its prongs or clinching portion broader than said upper or head portion and concavoconvex in crosssection, substantially as shown and specified.

2. The button fastener staple herein de- IOO scribed havingprongs concave-convex in crosslegs broader than said upper portion and bent section, and having the fastener intermediate or shaped to a concavo convex cross-section of the prongs narrower than said prongs and throughout their length, and terminating in bent to retain the eye of a button, and of the points adapted to readily penetrate the fabric, [5 5 normal shape ofthe wire, Substantially as heresubstantially as specified.

inbefore described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 8. The button -fastener staple herein dethe presence of two witnesses. scribed having the upper portion thereof uni- GEORGE V. PRENTICE. forni in cross-section with the wire or blank \Vitnesses: 1o from which it is made and adapted to retain CHARLES GREENE,

the eye of a button, and having the prongs or E. FISHER. 

